Verizon’s Unlimited Data Plan Is Back. Here’s How It Compares to Other Carriers

Like John Oliver and baseball, unlimited data plans are back! To be fair, they never left for some people. But one of the weekend’s biggest bits of news is that Verizon just reinstated its unlimited monthly data plan.

I’ve always been jealous of my touring DJ friends and their non-stop Snapchat and Instagram stories, Twitter updates, and other life altering updates which seem to come through at an alarming rate for anyone used to traveling with their phone. But then I remember they’re on T-Mobile’s unlimited international plan and get a little pouty. But then they return stateside to sub-par service, I feel quite a lot better about my trusty Verizon account¹.

Unlimited international data still seems like a distant dream for anyone on AT&T or Verizon (they’re getting better, though), but unlimited² data on Verizon does make me quite a happy camper.

² Smartphone plans are never truly “unlimited,” so let’s break down what’s being offered. The Verizon unlimited plan has no data cap and overage fees, so you can use your smartphone’s Internet connection as much as you want without paying more. There is a chance your speeds will be throttled after you pass 22GB per month if you happen to be connecting to a congested cell tower, although Verizon said, “we don’t expect to do that very often.” (T-Mobile imposes a similar restriction at 28GB per month.) Verizon’s 22GB limit is applied separately to each line, so a four-phone plan would have 22GB each before throttling becomes a possibility. via Ars Technica